by Greg PratoIn addition to serving as the drummer of one of the all-time definitive arena rock acts, Journey (during their most successful period from the late 70s through the early 80s), Steve Smith has also played with a wide range of other artists. Born on August 21, 1954 in Brockton, MA, Smith began drumming at the age of nine, when he took lessons from respected big-band drummer and instructor Bill Flanagan. Subsequently, Smith played a variety of musical styles (swing, R&B, hard rock, fusion, big band, etc.), and enrolled at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. In October of 1976, Smith signed on with jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, touring as a member of his band, and appearing on the album Enigmatic Ocean (1977). After briefly serving as the drummer for Ronnie Montroses band in 1978, Smith was invited to join Journey, who were in the midst of a musical switch — from fusion to arena rock. The group couldnt have picked a be...